Kuwait was not directly involved in the process to develop a Political Declaration on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. It was, however, among the first group of states to endorse the Political Declaration in Dublin in November 2022. At the signing ceremony of the Political Declaration in Dublin in November 2022, Kuwait stressed the importance of the political action to help bring about peace in the world, and said that the declaration is an important contribution to international instruments to protect civilians. Kuwait called on states to implement the declaration and set up review mechanisms.1
Statements and positions
In its individual statements, Kuwait referenced explosive weapon use by Israeli armed forces in the Occupied Palestinian Territories during the UN General Assembly First Committee in 2023.2
Kuwait has, as part of the Group of Friends on Protection of Civilians, delivered statements on explosive weapons in populated areas at the UN Security Council open debates on the protection of civilians. At the January 2022 open debate on war in cities the Group of Friends called on states to enhance the protection of civilians, including from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, and took note of the ongoing consultations to develop a Political Declaration on this issue.3 The Group made similar remarks at the UN Security Council open debate in protection of civilians in May 2022 4, and in May 2023 the Group noted the Political Declaration.5 In 2024, the Group highlighted the harm caused by explosive weapons in populated areas across ongoing conflicts, and stressed that “the effective protection of civilians and civilian objects must be made a strategic priority in the planning and conduct of military operations.” To that end, the Political Declaration was identified as providing “practical tools that ensure that protection is real and effective.”6
At the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons in 2024, a working paper submitted by the Arab Group, of which Kuwait is a member, drew attention to the Political Declaration, and the importance of strengthening civilian protection from the humanitarian consequences of explosive weapons in populated areas.7